Ginia



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

H. BILGRAM. MECHANISM EoE FEEDING AND MEASURING TOBAGGO EoE CIGARETTE MACHINES.

atented Nov. 30, 1897 (E I A @1 INVENTOR 4 sheets sheet 2 fl M atented 'Nov. 30, 1897,

(No Model.) y l H. BILGRAM. MECHANISM FOR FEEDING AND MEASURING TOBACCO FOR CIGARETTE MACHINES.

wrrwzsszs:

91M 01- JAZZ n1: mums PETERS co. "manna. wunmcmn. n, c.

(No Model.) A 4 Sheets-Sheet 3.

, H. BILGRAM. I MEGHANISM EOE FEEDING AND MEASURING TOBAGG'O FOBI CIGARETTE MACHINES.

' INVENTOR T1615.

wrrmcsszs:

m: was:

"(No Model.) 4.Sheets -Sheet. 4.

vH. BILGRAM. MECHANISM FOR FEEDING AND MEASURING TOBACCO FOR INVENTOR M. W I

Patented Nov. 30, 1897.

, wovourxa, wAswurom o.

n l' l I um um lllll Hll ml ll lllll lllll ml: III III ll ll CIGARETTE MACHINES.

v WITNESSES:

UNITED. STATES PATENT QFFICE,

HUGO BILGRAM, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AssieNon, BY MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE BONSAOK MACHINE coMPANY, or SALEM, VIR- GINIA.

MECHANISM FOR FEEDING AND MEASURING TOBACCO FOR CIGARETTE-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 594,374, dated November 30, 1897.

Application filed April 17, 1893. Serial No. 470,6 76. (No model.) Patentedin England September 26, 1896,11'0. 199; in France April 2,1897,N0.265,612; in Spain April 3,1897,No.20,425; in Canada April 15, 1897, No. 55,639; in Jamaica April 21,1897; in Malta April 28, 1897, No. 24; in British Guiana May 3,1897, 170.190; in Oape Colony May 7,1897, No. 1.842,- in Natal May 12,1897,N0.55; in Turkey June 1,1897,No. 575; in Italy June 9,1897,No.87; in Brazil June 9, 1897,11'0. 2,285, and in Austria June 30,1897,N0. 2,497- 7 To all whom zit may concern:

Be it known that I, HUGO BILeRAM,a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Mechanism for Feeding and Measuring Tobacco for Cigarette-Machines, (for which the following Letters Patent have been granted, viz: in

[0 Great Britain, No. 199, dated September 26, 1896; in France, No.'265,612-, dated April 2, 1897; in Spain, No. 20,425, dated April 3, 1897;

in Canada, No. 55,639, dated April 15, 1897; in Jamaica, dated April 21, 1897.; in British Guiana, No. 190, dated May 3, 1897; in Cape Colony, No. 1,342,dated May 7, 1897; in Malta, No. 24, dated April 28, 1897; in Natal, No. 55, dated May 12,1897; in Turkey, No. 575, dated June 1, 1897; in Italy, No. 87, dated June 9,

1897; in Brazil, No. 2,285, dated June 9, 1897, and in Austria, No. 2,4c97,dated June 30,1897,) of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of the same.

2 5 The present inventionrelates to mechanism for automatically feeding and measuring substantially uniform and determined quantities of tobacco from an irregular or not specially V distributed or arranged mass, and also for 0 mechanism for showering and collecting the measured tobacco in a stream or layer which shall contain the desired quantity and disposition thereof ,for the subsequent making of cigarette-fillers.

3 5 Heretofore it has been common to first or preliminarily reduce, arrange, or distribute the bulk mass of tobacco by hand manipulation in such manner that the same is fed to the filler-forming mechanism in predetermined or measured quantities. This not only calls for the services of special operatives, but as the degree of uniformity of the arrangement or disposition of the tobacco depends upon their skill and experience it frequently results that 5 the quantity of tobacco presented to the fillerforming mechanism is variable and the completed cigarettescontain too much or too little tobacco. 7

One of the essential objects of-myinvention is to obviate the necessity of specially dis- 5o tributing or arranging the tobacco before it is operated upon by mechanism to bring it into the desired condition for forming it into fillers. In other words, I operate directly upon the bulk masses of tobacco as they ordi- 5 5 narily occur in the practice of this art, and by such operation and the use of mechanism whereby the operation is carried out I directly and continuously draw, comb, or otherwise remove from the irregular or undistributed mass, whatever its density or bulk within reasonable limits, a uniform or determined quantity of tobacco in web-like form, which may be subsequently reduced to a stream or layer adapted in quantity and arrangement upon the further forming or molding of the same to constitute cigarette-fillers.

I will now describe a form .of mechanism adapted to feed and measure from an irregular and undistributed mass of tobacco sub stantially uniform quantities in the form of a web or layer, and also mechanism for forming the web or layer into a stream of tobacco especially adapted by reason of its arrangement and disposition to form the fillers of conicallyshapedcigarettes.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of mechanism for practicing my invention. Fig. 1 illustrates a modification of construction for feeding and measuring the tobacco, to be hereinafter more fully explained. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the mechanism, the same being viewed from the same position as is Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a front or side elevation of'the' same viewed from the left hand of Figs; 1 and 2 with setting parts in partial section. Fig. 4.- is a section on the line 1 2 of Fig. 1, looking downwardly. Figs. 5 to 9 are detail views of parts of the mechanism,to be hereinafter more particularly explained.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, A is the hopper of the mechanism or machine which is designed to receive the tobacco to be operated upon, which ordinarily is in mass-like condition-that is, it is not specially arranged or distributed before being put into the hopper, but is in its ordinary undistributed bulk form.

B indicates what I designate as the feeding cylinder, which is so located that the upper part of its peripheral surface supports the mass of tobacco placed in the hopper and may be said to form the hopper-bottom. The end walls of the hopper extend along and above the ends of the cylinder B, and a side rear wall extends upwardly, the walls being arranged in close proximity to the cylinder to retain the tobacco upon its upper peripheral surface. The front side wall of the hopperis preferably formed by the peripheral surface of a second cylinder G, hereinafter described and designated as the filling-cylinder.

The peripheral surface of the cylinder B is provided with teeth or pins projecting outwardly and preferably inclined in the direction of the rotation of the cylinder, which is indicated by an arrow placed thereon in Fig. 1. These inclined teeth are for engaging the mass of tobacco and dragging or combing the fibers therefrom and feeding the same to the bite between the cylinders.

The cylinder Cis of similar construction to that of the cylinder B and is preferably pro vided with teeth or pins, as shown, which are preferably inclined in a direction opposite to that of its rotation, the rotation of this cylinder being also indicated by an arrow placed thereon. In lieu of the teeth 011 the peripheral surface of the filling-cylinder such surface may be roughened to obtain a hold or contact with the tobacco.

The cylinders B and O are mounted upon parallel axes or shafts and are arranged so that their adjacent peripheral surfaces will converge toward each other to form a bite or narrow passage which constitutes the exit or discharge of the hopper A. The adjacent peripheral surfaces of the cylinders forming the hopper discharge rotate in opposite directions, the surface of cylinder B moving toward the hopper-discharge, while that of the cylinder 0, which is within the hopper, moves away from the hopper-discharge, as will be the case if the shafts of the cylinders are rotated in the same direction. The mass of tobacco placed in the hopper lies upon and in contact with the upper surface of the feed ing-cylinder, and as this cylinder rotates its teeth take a surplus of tobacco from the mass and feed or carry it into the bite of the two cylinders, where pressure is applied upon the tobacco to insure that the teeth of the feeding-cylinder will become uniformly filled as they revolve through and against the mass of tobacco. The particular functions of the filling-cylinder are to effect this pressure and to sweep off excess quantities of tobacco engaged and carried by the teeth of the feeding-cylinder, so that after a given portion of the surface of the feeding-cylinder has passed the bite the teeth of the same will be evenlyand regularly filled with tobacco, which will be in the form of a web or layer whose thickness is substantially equal to the projection of the teeth of the feeding-cylinder and whose width will be approximately that of the length of the cylinder. The peripheral surface of the filling-cylinder coacting with the toothed surface of the feeding-cylinder prevents an undesirable amount of tobacco from being drawn in between the two cylinders and carried through the bite, but at the same time permits the tobacco to enter the bite of the cylinders in suflicient quantity to insure that the teeth of the feeding-cylinder are regularly and uniformly tilled. To give the desired pressure upon the tobacco and at the same time to properly sweep back the surplus, the filling-cylinder has preferably a greater speed than the feeding-cylinder.

Preferably a concave or semicircular piece is fixed beneath the cylinder B and in close proximity to its teeth to prevent any fibers of tobacco which may not be removed by the stripping roll to be hereinafter described from falling down from the cylinder.

The journal-boxes of the filling-cylinder are preferably vertically adjustable, as shown at 0, Figs. 2 and 3, by which means the filling-cylinder may be adjusted to regulate the thickness of the web of tobacco to be formed. Preferably also the filling cylinder is arranged somewhat laterally to a vertical plane passing through the center of the feeding-cylinder, so that the mass of tobacco in the hopper will rest to a greater or less degree on the top of the feeding-cylinder.

A rotating brush-roll D is provided, which operates upon the surface of the filling-cylinder for the purpose of clearing the same of any fibers or particles of tobacco which may adhere thereto and throw them down upon the mass of tobacco in the hopper.

The toothed traveling feeding-surfacc and the traveling filling-surface, performing the work described, have been shown and referred to as the peripheries of rotating cylinders B and C, but they may be of other forms-such, for instance, as belts running on pulleys, as shown in Fig. 1, in which the belts converge toward each other to form a bite or narrow opening for the passage of the tobacco and are arranged to run in opposite directions at the bite or point of greatest convergence.

E is a stripping brush-roll, having teeth on its periphery which are arranged to move be tween the teeth of the feeding-cylinder, but at a higher rate of speed, whereby the said roll engages and sweeps off the tobacco carried in web form by the feeding-cylinder.

F is a concave guard placed close to the teeth of the feeding-cylinder as well as to the teeth of the stripping-roll. This guard holds the tobacco pressed in the teeth of the feedin g-cylinder and assists to direct the same to IIO engagement with the stripping-roll and prevents the latter from removing the tobacco in bunches or masses, as might otherwise be the case. v

It is seen that inasmuch as the speed of the feeding-cylinder and the brush-roll is constant and the tobacco is constantly presented to the edge of the guard F in a web or layer of substantially uniform thickness the brushroll operates to remove substantially uniform quantities of tobacco from the feeding-cylinder.

As the tobacco is stripped or brushed off the feeding-cylinder it is thrown or falls in a continuous shower and is deposited or collected upon the carrier or belt G or upon that portion of the same which is exposed between the guides H H or exposed between the inner guide 11 and a deflecting-plate I, the lower edge of which plate is of form or direction adapted to deposit the tobacco upon the belt in a continuous stream or layer corresponding in quantity and disposition of mass to the filler or fillers to be made therefrom. As shown in Fig. 4, the lower edge of this deflecting-plate runs diagonally over the belt which receives the tobacco, and this is for the special purpose of depositing the shower of tobacco upon the belt so that a cross-sectional thickness of the layer or stream of tobacco will be in form approximating the shape of a conical cigarette. In other words, viewing the continuously-moving belt in plan it will be seen that at first only one edge of the belt is exposed, and the entire shower of tobacco brushed from the right-hand side of the feeding-cylinder is concentrated upon this edge. As the belt advances under the lower edge of the inclined plate more and more of the belt is exposed to the shower or fall of tobacco, so that the tobacco is distributed over a const-antlyincrea-sing area of the width of the belt until the end of the lower inclined edge of the plate is passed, after which the tobacco is distributed over the width of the belt between the guides, which width corresponds substantially to the length of the cigarette to be formed, and the cross-sectional form of the stream or layer of tobacco as it issues or is carried on the belt beyond the end of the feeding-cylinder approximates the longitudinal section of a conical cigarette-filler. A cross-section of this stream or layer containing the proper quantity ofv tobacco is adapted to be compressed and fitted into a conicallyshaped cigarette vrappelgthe tobacco remaining practically of uniform density through out.

The lower edge of the'plate I, together with one or both of the guides H, bound the opening of the passage through which the tobacco is delivered upon the belt, the form of this opening largely determining the disposition or arrangement of the tobacco upon the belt. It is observed that the direction of the belt G is parallel with the axis of the feeding-cylinder B, or, in other Words, the belt runs in the plane of the width of the shower of tobacco to receive the same and carry it beyond the end of the feeding-cylinder.

Referring especially to Figs. 3 and 4, the tobacco on the belt when it passes beyond the end of the feed-cylinder runs under a yielding presser K, which preferably is made in sections, as shown, for the purpose of giving a uniform pressure upon the varying thickness of the layer or stream of tobacco and is slightly concave to correspond to the bend of the belt Where it passes over one of the pulleys on which it runs. L is a brushroll for sweeping the tobacco off the belt and into the receptacle or small hopper M. As the tobacco runs under the presser K it is slightly compacted and its form as deposited upon the belt is preserved, so that as it is ops erated upon by the brush-roll the tobacco will fall to the bottom of the hopper M and form a mass or parcel whose length is substantially the same as the width of the layer on the belt and correspondingly thicker at one end than at the other. After one parcel has been thus separated and collected from the layer or stream it is discharged by opening the flap M, (shown open,) which is operated by the retractile spring M and other means. The parcels thus discharged may be received, further compressed, and put into a paper case or wrapper by any suitable devices which do not constitute a part of the present invention.

Bru sh-rolls for sweeping the tobacco off the cylinders and the mechanism fordischarging the successive parcels from the smallhopper are so connected to the prime motor of the machine that they move at a constant and regular speed; but for the purpose of regulating the movement of the feeding apparatus to the movement of the discharging apparatus, so that the parcels discharged from the latter shall contain equal quantities of tobacco, the feeding mechanism is connected to the discharging mechanism through the coned pulleys N N, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, the relative speed of which is determined by the position of the belt between them, which belt is moved and held at any desired place of adjustment by a belt-shifter J. It is also desirable that the stripping-roll E should have a constant speed, so that the operation of the same upon the tobacco will always be uniform, and therefore this roll is preferably IIO kept constantly running by being belted di- 4 various driving connections effecting these filling cylinders by their rotation operate to results are as follows:

Referring specially to Figs. 2 and 3, a is the prime motor or driving-wheel of the machine, which wheel is carried on the shaft of the brush-roll D. This shaft is connected by cross-belt Z) to the shaft 0 of the strippingroll E, and this latter shaft is connected by belt (Z to shaft 8, on which is carried the fast and loose pulleys O, as also the cone-pulley N, which is connected to the cone-pulley N by belt f, adjusted by the belt-shifter g. The shaft of the cone-pulley N is connected by bevel-gears h to shaft 1', on which is the worm j, which gears with wheel 7; upon the shaft of the feeding-cylimler I On the shaft of this cylinder 13 is the sprocket-wheel Z, connected by chain belt mto sprocket-wheel it upon the shaft of the filling-cylinder C. At the top of the vertical shaft '11 are the bevel-gears 0, which drive shaft j), which shaft is connected by a cross-belt to shaft q of one of the rolls or pulleys on which runs the tobaccobelt G. On an extension of the shaft o of the roll D is a pulley T, which by a quartertwist belt is connected to pulleys, Figs. 3 and l, on the axis of the brush-roll L.

On the shaft of cone-pulley N is a crank i which by a connecting-rod gives reciprocating motion to the lever u, Figs. 4, (l, and 8, through which lever the flap M of the receptacle or hopper is operated as follows: The axis-rod carrying the flap M also carries fixed thereto the pawl 1:, Figs. 5, and o, the vibrating end of which rides on the edges of the two notched plates 20 a1, pi votally mounted on the shaft of the brush-roll L and pulleys. The notch in the plate to (see Fig. 8) has one of its sides inclined, while the notch y in the plate J: is square cut, as seen in Fig. 7. \Vhen these two plates are turned so that these two slots coincide and are together brought under the pawl "r, the spring M acts to force the end of the pawl into these slots, and thereby permits the flap M to open. The plate 50 is also provided with an elongated peripheral slot .2, through which projects the pin .2, carried on plate '20. \Vhen the arm a of plate to is depressed, the inclined portion of the slot in this plate raises the pawl r, thereby closing the flap M, the end of the pawl riding on the periphery of the plate. \Vhen this plate has turned to position where its pin ,2" engages the end of the slot ,2 in the plate :13, this latter plate will also be partially turned. If the arm u be now raised, the pin .2" comes to reverse contact with the plate 03, which plate holds the pawl raised until its notehy comes directly under the samethat is, the pawl is prevented from riding down the incline of the slot in the plate 21', and thus slowly opening the flap M. I11 other words, this flap is suddenly and abruptly opened when the pawl fallsinto the square-cut notch of the plate The general operation of the machine herein specially described, and shown in the drawings, is briefly as follows: The feeding and uniformly fill the teeth of the feeding-cylinder with tobacco drawn or combed from the undistributed mass in the hopper and to present to the stripping-roll a substantially uniform and definitely-determined quantity of tobacco in the form of a web or layer. As the feeding-cylinder rotates beyond the bite of the cylinders or the hopper-discharge the stripping-roll engages the tobacco of the web carried in the teeth of the feeding-cylinder and throws or showers it at a regular rate of speed and in uniform quantities upon the traveling conveycr or belt, and the latter eonducts the tobacco in form as deposited there on to the brush-roll, which strips it off and deposits it in the hopper or receptacle, which latter in proper time quickly opens and closes to allow a given mass or parcel collected therein to be discharged.

It is evident that the construction and operation of those parts of the mechanism herein described, by which the tobacco is fed from an n ndistributcd or irregular mass and formed into a web or layer of substantially uniform thickness and determined quantity, may be applied to a variety of machines by which it is desired to measure out definite quantities of tobacco, irrespective of the mechanism which may be applied for the subsequent manipulation or treatment of the measured tobacco and irrespective of the product which may be made therefrom; and I do not therefore wish to confine this part of my invention to machinery for disposing or arranging the tobacco for cigarette-fillers or to any special mechanism for treating the tobacco after it has been measured from the mass, since in many cases the measured tobacco may be advantageously worked by hand. Nor do I wish to limit my invention to the special construction and location of the various parts of the mechan ism herein described, and shown in the drawings, or to the means for operating the same, except so far as may be essential in producing the resultshcrein set forth, as I am aware that many changes may be made in these respects without departing from the essential features of my invention.

\Vhat I claim as new is l. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and measuring tobacco, of a hopper or receptacle for containing an undistributcd mass of tobacco, a rotating cylinder, constituting the feedingcylinder, located to form the bottom of the hopper and provided with teeth or pins projecting from its peripheral surface and a second rotating cylinder, constituting the fillingcylinder,arranged laterally ofa vertical plane passing through the center of the feed-cylinder and forming a bite or narrow hopper-discharge therewith, the feeding-cylinder being arranged so that its upper peripheral surface will rotate toward the bite or hopper-discharge, while the adjacent surface of the filling-cylinder is arranged to rotate in an opposite direction, for the purpose substantially as set forth.

2. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and measuring tobacco, of a hopper or receptacle for containing the tobacco, a rotating cylinder, constituting'the feeding-cylinder, located to form the bottom of the hopper and provided with teeth or pins projecting from its peripheral surface and inclined in the direction of its rotation and a second rotating cylinder, constituting the filling-cylinder, arranged laterally to a vertical plane .passing through the center of the feed-cylinder and forming a bite or narrow hopper-discharge therewith, the feeding-cylinder being arranged so that its upper peripheral surface will rotate toward the bite or hopper-discharge while the adjacent peripheral surface of the filling-cylinder rotates in the opposite direction, substantially for the purpose set forth.

3. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and measuring tobacco, of a hopper or receptacle for containing the tobacco, a rotating cylinder, constituting the feeding-cylinder, located to form the bottom of the hopper and provided with teeth or pins projecting from its peripheral surface and inclined in the direction of its rotation, and a second rotating cylinder, constituting the filling-cylinder, arranged laterally of a vertical plane passing through the center of the feed-cylinder and having its peripheral surface provided with teeth or pins inclined in a direction opposite to its rotation and forming a bite or hopper-discharge with the feeding-cylinder, the feeding-cylinder bein g arranged so that its upper peripheral surface will move toward the bite or hopperdischarge while the adjacent surface of 'the filling-cylinder moves in the opposite direction, substantially for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and measuring tobacco, of a hopper or receptacle for containing an undistributed mass of tobacco,

' a rotating cylinder, constituting the feedingcylinder, located to form the bottom of the hopper and provided with teeth or pins projecting from its peripheral surface, and a second rotating cylinder, constituting the fillingcylinder, arranged laterally of avertical plane passing through the center of the feed-cylinder andforming a bite or narrow hopper-discharge therewith, the feeding-cylinder being arranged so that its upper peripheral surface will move toward the bite of the hopper-discharge, while the adjacent surface of the filling-cylinder is arranged to move in an opposite direction, and means for giving a greater peripheral speed to the filling-cylinder than to the feeding-cylinder, for the purpose substantially as set forth.

5. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and measuring tobacco, of a hopper or receptacle for containing an undistributed mass of tobacco,

a rotating cylinder, constituting the feedingeylinder, located to form the bottom of the hopper and provided with peripherally-projecting pins or teeth, and a second rotating cylinder, constituting the filling cylinder whose peripheral surface is arranged to form a bite or hopper-discharge with the surface of the feeding-cylinder, the feeding-cylinder being arranged so that its upper peripheral surface will rotate toward the bite or hopperdischarge while the adjacent surface of the filling-cylinder is arranged to rotate in an opposite direction, and a stripping-roll, as E,

arranged to operate to remove the tobacco from the surface of the feeding-roll after it has passed the bite or hopper-discharge, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and measuring tobacco, of a hopper for containing tobacco, a rotating feeding-cylinder forming the bottom of the hopper and provided with peripherally-projecting teeth or pins and a second rotating cylinder arranged laterally of a vertical plane passing through the center of the feeding-cylinder and forming the front wall of the hopper and a narrow hopper discharge or exit with the feeding-cylinder, the surfaces of the feeding-cylinder being arranged to rotate in an opposite direction to thatof the second cylinder as they pass the hopper-discharge, substantially for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination substantially as set forth, of a hopper for containing tobacco, a rotating feeding-cylinder forming the bottom of the hopper and provided with peripherally-projecting teeth or pins, a rotating filling-cylinder arranged laterally of a vertical plane passing through the center of the feeding-cylinder to form the front wall of the hopper and a narrow hopper discharge or exit with the feeding-cylinder, the surfaces of the cylinders being arranged to rotate in opposite directions at the hopper-discharge, and a brush-roll, as D, operating to sweep the fibers of tobacco from the surface of the filling-cylinder and deposit them in the hopper, for the purpose set forth.

8. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and measuring tobacco, of a hopper for containing tobacco, a rotating feeding-cylinder forming the bottom of the hopper and provided with peripherally-projecting teeth or pins, a rotating filling-cylinder arranged laterally of a vertical plane passing through the center of the feeding-cylinder and forming ahopper discharge therewith, the surfaces of the cylinders being arranged to. rotate in opposite directions at the hopper-discharge, and devices for adjusting the feeding and filling cylinders relatively, whereby the extent of the hopper-discharge will be increased or diminished.

9. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding, measuring and disposing tobacco, of a hopper for containing the tobacco, a feeding-cylinder forming the hopper-bottom and provided with peripherally-projecting teeth or pins, a filling-cylinder whose adjacent peripheral surface rotates in an opposite direction to that of the feeding-cylinder and forms a hopperdischarge therewith, whereby a mass of tobacco placed in the hopper is formed into a web or layer of substantially uniform thickness on the peripheral surface of the feedingcylinder, a stripper roll or brush, as E, arranged to remove the web of tobacco uniformly from the filling-cylinder, and a moving conveyer arranged beneath the stripperroll to receive the tobacco as it is showered therefrom.

10. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and disposing tobacco for cigarette-fillers, of a rotating feeding-cylinder provided with teeth inclined in the direction of its rotation, means for filling the teeth of said cylinder with tobacco to form a web of substantially uniform thickness, a stripper-roll, as E, provided with teeth arranged to intermesh with the teeth of the feeding-cylinder to remove the tobacco therefrom, and a guard, as F, whereby the tobacco will be uniformly removed from the web and showered down.

11. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and disposing tobacco for cigarette-fillers, of means for uniformly showering the tobacco, a moving surface for receiving or collecting the showered tobacco in a stream or layer and a deflecting-surface arranged above the said receiving-surface, whereby the stream or layer of tobacco will be thicker at one edge of its width than at the other.

12. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and disposing tobacco for cigarette'fillers, of means for uniformly showering the tobacco, a traveling surface for receiving or collecting the showered tobacco in a stream or layer and a deflecting-surface arranged above and diagonally across the said receiving-surface, whereby the completed stream or layer of tobacco will be thicker at one of its edges than at the other.

13. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and disposing tobacco for cigarette -fillers,of a toothed traveling surface to engage the tobacco, means for limiting the quantity of tobacco engaged by such surface, a device for stripping the tobacco from the teeth of said surface, a traveling surface for receiving or collecting the tobacco in a stream or layer as it falls from the stripping device and a deflecting-surface arranged above and diagonally across the said traveling surface.

14. The combination substantially as set forth, in a mechanism for feeding and disposing tobacco for cigarette-fillers, of a belt in position to receive a shower of tobacco and passing around pulleys, a brush in position to sweep the surface of said belt as it passes around one of said pulleys, and a yielding concave presser in sections, each section bearing upon the tobacco on said belt and extending partly around said pulley, whereby the action of said brush is limited to the tobacco with which it comes in contact.

IIUGO BILGRAM.

Vitnesses:

G. MORGAN ELDRIDGE, ALF. H. FABER. 

